Life of a Geisha
by jkan
Summary: Aeris is thrown into the life of a geisha and in the process meets Vincent and Sephiroth, two men whose lives intertwine with her own. AerisVincentSephiroth
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my second story on and is based off of the novel Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. It starts out slow, just to show a little bit of history behind the Aeris, but I promise it will get better. This is an Aeris/Vincent/Sephiroth fic and I have tried to keep them in-character as much as possible, if you spot any OOC-ness, please let me know.

1

"I'm so sorry, Aeris."

_She was gone. She was really gone._

"It was so sudden; no one could have done anything to stop it."

_How was she going to go on?_

"She's in a better place now."

_Why did they always say that?_

"I give my deepest condolences to you and your aunt."

"Thank you, doctor." Her voice sounded cracked and harsh. She was surprised she could even speak. "You've done so much for us." She handed him a small package wrapped in cloth. "Please take this as a token of our gratitude."

The doctor shook his head. "No, I cannot take this from you. My services are a favor to your family, I ask for nothing in return." The old physician patted Aeris' hand. "Once again, I'm sorry for the loss of your mother, I know she was all you had."

Aeris followed the family doctor to the door, helping him with his shoes and walking him to the rickety white gate that lined their dry yard. She nodded as he gave a few more condolences, mumbling her thanks but not hearing what was being said. At this point, it didn't seem to matter: her mother was gone. She had not yet allowed herself to shed any tears; too afraid that once she started, she would not be able to stop, that she would drown in her own stream of sorrow.

"Come inside, Aeris. You'll burn alive out there." A brittle voice called to her from the door.

"Yes, Auntie." Aeris shuffled into the cool house, shutting the heavy wooden door behind her. Almost mechanically, she started to clear off the small cups of untouched tea set out on the kitchen table, absently pouring the now cold liquid out the window. With her mother gone, it seemed as if the other half of the house had been torn away: nothing had meaning in her life anymore.

"Don't pout so, Aeris. If you need to cry, then so be it. Grieve in your own time if you must, but for goodness sake please don't hold it in." Auntie watched her from the living room, a small washcloth in her hands: she was going in to prepare the body for burial.

Aeris only nodded, wanting nothing more than to crawl in the cellar and let go of all her grief, but she had to be strong: there was much more planning to do. She would cry for her mother once she had her proper burial, she would cry once her duties to her mother were completely finished.

The doctor was not sure what the cause of her mother's sudden illness was, although the recent drought had much to do with her continuing weakness. A few days ago she had been unable to get out of bed, her body seemingly paralyzed; some said a stroke, others said old age. Progressively her health had started to deteriorate, leaving her completely dependent on Aeris and Auntie. And now…now she was gone.

Now it was just her and Auntie left, her and her bitter old Aunt. The only two that would be living in the small shabby house by the ocean trying to survive the drought and forget about the pain of losing another loved one. All they had was each other. Somehow, this thought saddened her more than the death of her beloved mother.

* * *

It was a hot Saturday afternoon: the day they buried her mother. They had placed her under a large tree that her father had planted when he was a young man, a constant place of solace for her mother. After he had passed away seven years ago, her mother frequented the backyard, standing under the tree branches for hours, looking out into the ocean wistfully. One thought that consoled Aeris was the fact that her mother would finally be complete now that she had found father: they were together again. Many of the villagers had come by to pay their last respects, giving small gifts and generous consolatory words, but none of these seemed to reach the ears of Aeris. She still bowed and thanked them for coming, but she felt no real gratuity to these people, in honesty, she felt nothing at all.

"I'm sorry to hear the passing of your mother, dear child." A gentle whiff of perfume passed by her as someone laid a light hand on her shoulder.

Aeris looked up, expecting another villager, but was surprised to see an ornately dressed woman, her graying hair worn up into a tight bun. She wore a black kimono with a silver crest on the left breast, tied closed with a striking red sash. Her feet were clad in starch white button-socks, slipped into a pair of red _zouri _sandals. Wrinkles had started to etch into her slightly yellowed skin, beady eyes sunk deep into her face, and her thin lips were pressed into a pucker as if she had just eaten a lemon.

"Thank you, _obasan_." Aeris bowed deeply, showing her appreciation to the older stranger. "I am honored that you have come to my mother's funeral. I have not been properly introduced to you before. If I may ask, were you a close friend of my mother's?"

A corner of the woman's shrunken mouth curled up into what Aeris thought was a smile. "No dear, but I hear she was the most wonderful woman. I have come here at the bidding of your aunt."

"Auntie invited you?" A puzzled look danced in Aeris' eyes, yet she did not want to be rude and impose on her aunt's business.

"Yes, we have some affairs to catch up on; although I'm sorry it had to be on such an unfortunate day." The woman took a step back and dipped her head. "I am Eiko Nakamura of Wutai."

"I am Aeris Gainsborough of Mideel and I am deeply honored to meet you Eiko-sama." Aeris again bowed deeply. "Please allow me to show you into our humble home so that you and Auntie may finish you matters in private."

She led the older woman into the dim dwelling, seating her at the table in the kitchen. Auntie shuffled in a few minutes later as Aeris was making tea, a small bundle in her hands.

"Ah, Eiko-sama, how good to finally meet you." The two women stood and bowed to each other. "Please, sit, have some tea. I know it is of poor quality, but I hope that you will keep our hospitality in mind."

Aeris sat the tray on the table and set out two cups, slowly pouring hot green tea into each one. The room was silent as Aeris emptied out the small cracked pot, the other two women simply sat and watched. She served them their drinks and left the kitchen, not wanting to impose on their conference. Still, she could not keep her curiosity from tickling the back of her mind and she sat motionless, trying to hear clips of their conversation. At first, they seemed to be having a cursory discussion about the weather, but soon took on a more formal and business-like tone. At one point it seemed as if they were arguing, both of them talking in hushed but angry tones. From what Aeris could hear, it seemed as if they were discussing an unfair barter that was being made between them, her aunt's voice sounding very irritated. But soon, even that died down and they went back to the perfunctory chat of two old ladies exchanging news. Finally, she could hear the shuffle of clothes as the two women stood, the small clinks of the cups being placed back on the table.

Auntie came out first, the small cloth package still in her hands and gave Aeris a quick glance before disappearing into her room. Next came out the older woman, a serious look on her puckered face. She walked up to Aeris, laying a bony hand on her shoulders, something in her eyes told her that it was not good news.

"My dear, you'll be coming with me."

"I'm sorry?" Aeris didn't know what to think, what was the meaning of all this? "Coming with you where?"

"To Wutai. We should leave now if we are to make it back by nightfall." Mrs. Nakamura tucked her hands into the sleeves of her kimono. "Come, we mustn't waste time."

Aeris was speechless. Why was she going to Wutai? What was happening? She turned as her aunt came back into the room. "Auntie, Eiko-sama says I am to go to Wutai, is this true?"

Auntie nodded, giving the package still in her hands to Mrs. Nakamura, whom in exchange gave her a small bag. "Yes, I have given you a better life."

Aeris eyed the small bag suspiciously. "You…sold me?" The jingling in the sack confirmed her fears.

"It's for your own good." Auntie couldn't even look her in the face. "Eiko-sama will be able to provide for you in a way that I never can. Trust me, Aeris, you will be much happier in Wutai."

"You sold me! You sold your own niece while my mother's grave is still fresh!" Hot tears started to form at the corner of her eyes. "If you didn't want me around, you could have just asked, I would have left. Auntie…"

"Please, Aeris…" Her aunt patted the blue sack in her hands. "We'll never survive…the two of us…"

"Then forget me, Auntie. And forget the Gainsborough name. You've wronged my mother and my father. I hope that money brings you much joy." She turned to the other woman, eyes lowered to the ground. "I am ready."

Mrs. Nakamura thanked Auntie for inviting her into the house and gave her a slight bow. She took Aeris by the arm and walked her out of the room, shushing her as they went. That was the last time Aeris ever saw Mideel.


	2. Chapter 2

2

The boat was damp and uncomfortable, crammed full of others making the long voyage to Wutai. Aeris had never heard of Wutai, let alone set her eyes on it; for all she knew, it was a completely different world. From the small snippets she heard from Mrs. Nakamura it was a wealth country with many ways to live prosperously and Aeris was to work for the Nakamura household until she could pay off her debts and live on her own.

"Your aunt was only thinking of your welfare." Mrs. Nakamura had told her one evening while she had sat by the port window, a silk cloth sitting in her lap for embroidering. Her bony hands worked nimbly, weaving the needle in and out of the bright red material. "She would not have been able to support you now that your mother has passed on. She gave responsibility of you to me so that you could find a better life in Wutai."

"How am I to pay off my debts? Will I be working in your home as your maid servant?" Aeris fiddled nervously with the wrinkled hem of her sleeve, not able to imagine running through Mrs. Nakamura's house bidding to their every wish.

"Maid servant?" The elder woman stopped embroidering, looking up in astonishment. "My dear, you'll be working in my _okiya_."

"Okiya?" Aeris rolled the word around in her head, but could not come up with a meaning to the word.

This time Mrs. Nakamura dropped the silk fabric into her lap, a humored look on her face. "You don't…know what an _okiya_ is?" She tittered a dry laugh when Aeris shook her head no. "Oh dear, I forget how young you are. Well…an _okiya_ is a communal home where we house our…geisha."

"And I'll work in your _okiya_…your geisha housing…as your maid servant?" She wasn't quite sure where this was going.

"Dear, are you daft? I bought you so that you could one day become a successful geisha yourself!" Eiko Nakamura shook her head in amusement. "Maid servant, indeed! I wouldn't pay so much for a simple maid servant!"

Aeris was bewildered: her, as a geisha! "But…don't geishas…" She blushed furiously, ashamed to even say it.

"What?" Mrs. Nakamura saw the color on the young girl's cheeks and guessed the question herself. "No dear, that's a common misconception. Geishas do not sleep with men for money; I actually forbid it. A geisha's name must be kept clean at all costs; you are there to entertain, not partake in dirty deeds. A geisha that sleeps with men are not geisha at all but _mizutengeisha_."

"Then what sort of 'entertaining' would I be doing?" Aeris could not think of anything a grown man could be interested in a girl of merely seventeen.

"You will be doing no sort of entertaining until you finish your training and lessons." Mrs. Nakamura took up her embroidering again, flicking the thread up and over with experiences hands. "After I get you settled into the okiya, I expect you to start as soon as possible; you're behind as it is."

Aeris wistfully stared out the porthole, afraid of the prospect of starting a new life in Wutai. She did not want to become a geisha, she did not want to start lessons and trainings; she had lost everything and was sold out of her family to live somewhere far away, far from everything she knew and loved. And now she had a debt on her hands, the debt that she was to pay off to Mrs. Nakamura. What was she to do now? How badly would her life change once their ship landed in Wutai?

* * *

The city of Wutai was a city full of colors. The first thing she could see was the sea of vibrant green grass, fragrant pink cherry blossoms now in full bloom skimmed the shores of the pale blue river that dissected Wutai. The air was clear with a slight hint of the oncoming crispness of spring, but the fresh flavor of the environment rejuvenated her weary senses. The city was a lot more refined than her small village in Mideel, the traditional Old World style buildings made her feel as if she had been transported back to the young days of the Planet.

A small rickshaw pulled up next to them, the driver waving. Mrs. Nakamura grabbed Aeris' arm, pushing her into the hard seat, getting in next to her, asking the driver to take them to Nakamura okiya. With a hard jerk, they were being pulled along the streets; small groups of people were standing outside, watching how the setting sun threw vivid colors all over the glass-like surface of the lake.

"Are you listening?" Mrs. Nakamura tapped Aeris' arm with a paper fan she had been cooling herself off with.

"I'm sorry, Nakamura-sama."

"I said that you should be wary of Scarlett, she is our main geisha at the okiya. She has a slight tendency to be cruel to the others from time to time. Do not get in her way or provoke her in any manner and you should be fine."

"Yes, Eiko-sama."

They pulled up in front of a large gate, Mrs. Nakamura motioning for Aeris to get out; she paid the rickshaw driver who left with a deep bow. The elder woman knocked on the large wooden gate, which was opened a few minutes later by a slight girl who greeted her with surprise.

"Oh, Nakamura-sama! I was not aware that you would be back so early!" She bowed, helping the woman out of her wooden sandals. "Is this the girl?" She eyed Aeris with interest.

"Yes. Yuffie, show her where her room is then I want you to wash her up and feed her. Tomorrow you will take her with you to school and introduce her to all your teachers." Mrs. Nakamura started to climb a set of stairs, her voice starting to fade. Finally they could hear the upstairs door sliding shut and the girl named Yuffie let out a sigh.

"Thank goodness." She turned to Aeris with a huge grin, her mouth almost overtaking her small face. "Hi, I'm Yuffie of Wutai."

"I'm Aeris Gainsborough of Mideel." She gave her a shaky smile.

"Come on, lets get your stuff in your room and I'll show you around a little bit." Yuffie grabbed Aeris' small bag of personal items, bounding to one of the rooms closest to the main gate. Sliding open the door, she could see four or five other small floor mats neatly rolled up and placed against the wall. Yuffie opened a cabinet door pulling out another floor mat and placing it next to the others, next taking her bag and setting it next to the mat. "You'll have to sleep next to the door, sorry. It gets drafty during the winter but there's not a lot of room for six people to fit."

"It's alright." Aeris looked around the tiny room, a stale smell of dirty hair and sweat mingling in the air. From what she could see of the okiya, it was fairly big: a center courtyard surrounded by three long buildings. From the one on the farthest right she could smell rice porridge cooking: that had to be the kitchen. Mrs. Nakamura had disappeared into the largest building, from what she heard that was her living quarters, the room next to hers occupied by the senior geisha, Scarlett. The other room was the storehouse for the okiya's kimonos.

Aeris was shown into the bath house where she washed away three days worth of grime and dirt, scrubbing away with lye soap until her body turned red. The hot water felt wonderful against her skin, the oily smell of the lye a welcome after the dank smell of the ship. After, she was shown into the kitchen where she ate a small portion of rice porridge, the cook stealing glances at her when she thought Aeris wasn't looking. There was a sharp knock on the gate, Yuffie looking up from her daydreaming, struggling to shove her feet into a pair of_zouri_ and scrambling to open the gate.

"What took you so long, you nitwit!" A jagged voice berated the poor young girl. "I've been standing outside forever!"

"I…I'm sorry, Scarlett!" Yuffie laughed nervously.

Aeris watched as a stunning creature emerged from the gateway of the okiya, a wash of yellow and blue. She was a tall thin woman, her features very lovely but somehow cunning at the same time. Her hair was a fair blonde, done up in an exquisite style, small hair ornaments dangling from it. What struck Aeris was the gorgeous kimono she was wearing: it was a lavish midnight blue made of light silk, delicate silver stitching lined the hem and sleeves in a pattern of leaves and branches; around her waist was tied a light gray obi weaved with gold thread. On her feet a pair of gray lacquered _zouri_ peeked out from the hem of her kimono.

Never had Aeris laid eyes on such a wonderful and stunning kimono, although later she was to find out that the one Scarlett was wearing would have been deemed 'plain'. Still, at the moment, Aeris thought it was the most beautiful article of clothing; no one in Mideel owned anything so refined.

"You're such an oaf, Yuffie!" Scarlett pushed past the skinny girl. "Get out of my way." The hem of her robe fluttered as the blonde walked; Aeris listened in fascination.

Never would she have associated that screeching cruel voice to such a stunning woman. So this is what Mrs. Nakamura had been warning her about. As if the other woman could hear her thoughts, she turned to look at Aeris, a quizzical look crossing her features.

"And who are you?" She pattered over to the kitchen glaring at Aeris.

"Um, Aeris." She suddenly felt crowded, something about this woman made her nervous.

Scarlett turned to the cook. "I though I told you to take the trash out. What is this little piece of garbage doing here? She's stinking up the okiya." She threw back her head and laughed, amused by her own joke. "So you must be the little girl Mrs. Nakamura bought from that dirty fishing village."

"Yes, Scarlett-sama." Aeris hung her head, too ashamed to look such a lovely creature in the face. All of a sudden her plainness seemed to shine forth in comparison to the other woman.

"Figures." Scarlett whirled around, tossing Aeris a wicked smile. "I thought I smelled dead fish."


	3. Chapter 3

3

The first few weeks of school had been long and hard. This was not a traditional school in the sense of books and tests, but was a school where one who wished to become an apprentice geisha would come to learn all the things she needed to know to entertain a group of guests: shamisen, tea ceremony, singing and dance. The teachers were harsh and very strict, nitpicking at every detail and slapping a ruler against their knuckles for not learning their lessons properly.

They would wake at the crack of dawn and nearly run their way to the school, making sure not to be the last ones in class. They would take a quick break in the afternoon, running back to the okiya for a rushed lunch, and then hurry back to school to finish their daily training. In addition to this, Mrs. Nakamura had given them chores to do when they came home. Aeris was juggling school, her obligations to the Nakamura okiya, and practicing an hour for each of her lessons. Not to mention the tiring task of staying out of Scarlett's way.

"AERIS!" _Speak of the devil._

Scarlett's puckered face peered from around the corner of the room. "There you are, you stupid girl." She stormed over to where Aeris kneeled, roughly grabbing her by the arm, pulling the small girl to her feet. "You're in big trouble."

"What…are you talking about?"

The blonde woman raised her hand and slapped her across the face, hard. "Shut up! I know you were up in my room snooping! I could smell the stench of fish all over my clothes!"

"Scarlett-sama, I was never in your room." Aeris was bewildered.

The other woman seemed not to notice; instead she was rudely pulling Aeris upstairs. "We'll see what Mrs. Nakamura has to say about this! And how you are to reimburse me for the ring you stole!"

"The ring?" Aeris stumbled. "What ring?"

"The one you stole when you were snooping around in my room, you thief!" Scarlett yanked on her sore arm.

"Scarlett-sama, I didn't steal a ring from you." She gave a confused look to the furious blonde. "And I never went into your room."

The older woman's eyes narrowed into thin slivers of blue. "You liar. You fucking liar." She reached out behind her and threw open Mrs. Nakamura's screen door. Turning, she put on her best distressed look. "Nakamura-sama! You won't believe what this smelly little peasant girl did!"

Mrs. Nakamura was at her desk, a calligrapher's pen in fingers, hand hovering above a blank scroll. An annoyed scowl twisted her hawkish, yellowed face. "What is all this commotion, Scarlett?"

The blonde threw Aeris into the room. "This…this…ugly little thing! She went into my room and stole my ruby ring! The one the okiya gave me last year!" Thin tears started to form in the geisha's eyes. "I loved that ring, Nakamura-sama."

"I didn't steal it!" Aeris turned and gave the okiya mistress a pleading look. "I didn't. I have no idea what she's talking about."

Mrs. Nakamura sighed. "Scarlett, did you see Aeris go into your room?"

"No, but I know that she did because I saw her out back selling it for money." She grabbed at the inside of Aeris' sash, pulling out a wad of cash. "See!" She flailed it in front of Mrs. Nakamura's face, as if for emphasis.

Aeris had never seen that money…Scarlett must have planted it sometime while she was being dragged to Nakamura-sama's room. Still, she could not defend herself, it would be to no use, all the evidence pointed that she was a thief.

Mrs. Nakamura's eyes narrowed. "Aeris, is this true?" The younger girl could only lower her eyes; to the older woman, this was answer enough. "Well, we cannot have any stealing in this okiya. I must add this to your debts."

"Debts?"

"Of course." The owner of the okiya pulled out a book, turning to a page with Aeris' name and started to write in figures. "We pay for everything: your lessons, your registration fees, your books; we also feed you and clothe you. Once you become a geisha, you are to repay the okiya everything we have invested in you. Right now, it seems as though you cost more than you're worth." The older woman gave her a disappointed look. "If you can't make money then you're of no use to this okiya. On top of all the debts you owe from school and lodging, you now have ten thousand gil looming over your head."

"Ten…ten thousand gil?" Aeris could not believe her ears, she desperately turned to Scarlett, pleading with her eyes, but the older woman could not contain her happiness.

"Well, you stupid bitch, looks like you just landed yourself in debt for the rest of your life." With a hidden smile behind the sleeves of her house kimono, she exited out the doorway, leaving a much panicked Aeris.

"Mrs. Nakamura, I am but a young girl, how am I to pay off such a heavy debt?"

"You fool. If you cannot pay off your debts than you are of no use to me or this okiya. If you cannot become a successful geisha, I have no choice but to keep you as a _mizutengeisha_ for the rest of your life." The old woman's eyes burned with fury. "You had better hope you become a very very successful one."

Aeris' heart hung heavy as she bowed to Mrs. Nakamura and left her room. How was she to repay all of her usual debts and also have this huge cloud hanging over her future? And what had caused Scarlett to wage out this personal war? Sure, she was aware that the geisha was cruel to everyone in the okiya, but her full rage seemed to be reserved for Aeris alone. There was no way that Aeris could survive in Wutai, not as long as Scarlett was here. _I must leave here._ It was her only option. _I'll do it tonight. I'll take a boat back to Mideel and leave all this behind._ At the time, it sounded like a good idea.


	4. Chapter 4

4

The night air hung heavy with the stifling heat of the day's sun causing Aeris' bangs to stick against her forehead. She pushed them aside, annoyed at their constant pestering, looking around for any indication as to where she was. Earlier that night, she had crept out of the okiya, hoping to catch the late ship headed back to Mideel. She had made it out of the compound with no incident, but hadn't thought out her plan well enough: she was completely lost.

The street she was currently on was lined with low Wutain-style buildings, the paper screens glowing with an opaque light, shadows of people dancing against the small wooden panes: this was the Northern Teahouse District where the geishas came to entertain. She tentatively slid open the door of the closest one, peeking in and hoping to catch sight of someone. Thankfully, a young girl was kneeling at a small lacquered table, tabulating the teahouse's fees for the night.

"Excuse me, miss?" Aeris knelt at the entrance of the door, giving the younger girl a small bow of her head.

Startled, the girl dropped the brush in her hand, letting out a sharp breath as the ink spattered onto the page. Giving Aeris an annoyed look, she quickly snatched up the dropped brush. "What can I help you with?"

"I'm sorry, but I was wondering if you could tell me which way Wutai Harbor is?"

"Wutai Harbor? At this time of night?" The young girl gave her a suspicious glare; nevertheless she pointed to the right of her, her pudgy finger jabbing the air. "Past the Yukoshina Teahouse there is a little road, take that all the way down until you come to the river. From there cross the bridge into the Hashina District and it will be past the last teahouse on that road, the Yukai Teahouse I believe it's called."

Aeris bowed again, giving a word of thanks before sliding the door closed. The young girl at the table shook her head, dipping her brush into a shallow bowl of ink before pulling back the sleeve of her cotton kimono and finishing her work.

"Yukai?" A set of deep brown eyes peered from the hallway.

Immediately the girl stood, shuffling over to where the other woman stood. "Yes, Midori-sama?"

"Who was that girl?" Her chocolate eyes trailed to where Aeris had knelt not a moment ago.

"Her? I think she was from the Nakamura okiya. I've seen her walking to school with that Yuffie."

"Nakamura. Hm." The woman named Midori smiled. "Thank you for that information, Yukai."

* * *

"No." Aeris sprinted forward, her thin legs pumping as fast as they would go. "No!" One of her wooden _zouris_ fell off her foot but she didn't seem to care, throwing the other one off as well. She ran, barefoot, down the pier, her mouth drawn wide, tears streaming down her face.

The boat to Mideel was already out at sea. She was too late. All she could make out were the little rows of lights dangling on the deck, swinging in the air as if waving goodbye. She watched in utter desolation, hands clutched to her chest, body heaving with loud sobs.

It had left and she had missed her chance: her chance to get out of Wutai and out of the geisha's life that was planned out for her. The boat was her only chance to go back to Mideel and regain her happiness…now she had nothing. _I should just throw myself into the sea._ As she collapsed onto the wooden planks, she contemplated the idea…how easy it would be to end it all now. At that moment, she missed her mother.

"Miss?"

A man's voice startled her out of her misery, a surprised squeak emitting from her mouth. She peeked up at the gentleman, embarrassed at her display of emotion. Two men dressed in black uniforms observed her in the light of a paper lantern they were carrying. The one that had spoken to her had a shock of straw blonde hair, his eyes a piercing and almost eerie cerulean; his narrow shoulders slouched forward as he leaned towards her and scrutinized her face.

"What are you doing out here at this hour?" Questioning green eyes, nearly the same shade as hers, peered at her from a waterfall of silver hair. The other man was nearly twice her size, dressed also in an impeccable black uniform, his broad shoulders dominating his lean frame. Immediately a blush stole across her cheeks…he was a very handsome gentleman.

"Miss?" The blonde again.

She could not find her voice, instead she just continued to stare up at them: a habit that Mrs. Nakamura would surely have disapproved of.

The one with the hair the color of mercury reached into the jacket of his uniform, withdrawing a handkerchief and handing it to her. She slowly rose to her feet, gratefully taking the cloth with a bow, wiping her eyes in as modest of a fashion as possible.

"The pier is closed at this hour. I'm afraid I will have to ask you to leave." His eyes were cold although his words had the purpose of sounding warm.

"Pay me no mind, sir, for I am just a foolish girl." She bowed her head, somehow feeling sorry that these men had to stand here and listen to a childish girl babbling. Still, she felt grateful for his concern.

"Foolish or not, this is not a safe place to be in the middle of the night." He furrowed his eyebrows together. "You're not a stray are you?"

She was slightly taken aback by his comment, but couldn't blame him for thinking so. She was dressed in maid's clothes, her feet bare and her face surely a mess. "No, sir."

"We should be on our way, General. I believe they expected us there an hour ago." The flaxen-headed man turned and eyed one of the teahouses, his azure orbs glimmering with some sort of anticipation.

The other man grunted, taking his attention away from Aeris and also looking at one of the teahouses. Letting out a sigh, he nodded to the girl, she returning it with a bow, and walked down the pier, the blonde man following suit.

She wasn't sure how long she had stood there, looking off in the direction they had walked off to, nor did she much care. So men such as these also visited teahouses. Her impression of a geisha's life was filled with old balding men with roaming hands who wanted nothing more than fulfilling basic primal instincts. But these men…particularly _that_ man…that General; a man of standing…a man of good-looks…a man who enjoyed the company of geishas.

This was a sign: it _had_ to be. First the departing ship, now the arrival of this man. _I wish to be in the company of the General_. It had been her one real wish ever since she had arrived in Wutai. _I will work hard. I will become someone he wishes to meet in a teahouse._ She fingered the handkerchief he had handed her and gently tucked it away in her robe. _I'll do it, I'll become a geisha._


	5. Chapter 5

5

A loud knock reverberated through the okiya, the maid closest to the gate dropped her wet laundry and scurried over to greet their guest. Aeris glanced up from her shamisen practice, cocking her head to the side when she heard the tinkering of a female's voice. She placed her shamisen on the floor, peering through a hole in the paper door to see who had come to visit them; a stunning woman with thick ebony hair piled on her head and warm brown eyes stood in the middle of the okiya, a beautiful robe of silver clad on her thin body. She ebbed of maturity and charisma and instantly Aeris wanted to be this woman, but who was she?

"Midori-san!" Aeris flinched as she heard the shrill voice of Scarlett. "Why, what brings you to our okiya?" The blonde geisha emerged from the stairwell, her hands on her hips. "Looking for a job?"

"Scarlett-san, you're looking well." The one they called Midori smiled politely but no humor reached her coffee-colored eyes.

"And so are you! You look so much better when you put on a little weight." A smug grin plastered Scarlett's lips.

Midori seemed to ignore the snide remark and turned to the maid who had greeted her at the gate. "Please let Mrs. Nakamura know that I am here to see her."

Scarlett's countenance turned serious. "Why are you here to see her?" She narrowed her eyes.

"That…" The brunette turned around, "is none of your concern."

Aeris admired Midori-sama's courage to stand up against the likes of Scarlett: obviously they had a history together, and it wasn't a very pleasant one.

The maid led the dark-haired woman off to one of the rooms on the lower floors; Scarlett's narrowed eyes following them the whole way. Aeris' curiosity was now welling over and she wondered who this mysterious woman was and why she had caused such a stir in the okiya.

Something pulled at her mind…at her whole body. Something seemed to tell her that this one woman could change the course of her Fate.

"I heard Midori-sama is here!" Yuffie came tumbling into the room, breathing heavily. "Where is she?"

Putting a narrow finger against her lips, Aeris motioned to the tearoom across the okiya. "Who is Midori-sama?"

"She's one of the most renown geisha's in Wutai! She also happens to be the personal rival of Scarlett." The younger girl craned her head out the door, trying to catch a glimpse of the lovely geisha. "Scarlett-san has been jealous of her since they were in school together."

"Why?" Aeris also peered out the door.

"Because Midori-sama lives on her own and doesn't have to answer to an okiya."

"Why is she here?" Aeris also peered out the door.

Yuffie shrugged. "I dunno. But it has to be something really important…no one comes to see Mrs. Nakamura without prior notice."

As if on cue, the owner of the okiya came rushing down the stairs, the hem of her purple kimono fluttering as she walked. She seemed equally surprised as everyone else about the visit: her hair was done-up hastily; a few errant strands had fallen out of the loose bun piled on her head. The older woman looked around once before stepping into the tearoom, shutting the door behind her. Aeris had caught a quick glimpse of the dark-haired geisha: kneeling demurely at the table, sipping a cup of green tea. In that one fleeting glance, Aeris saw what had made the geisha what she is today. Her graceful movements, her modest behavior, her quick wit and tongue…all the things that Aeris did not yet possess.

The okiya seemed to wait with bated breath; all were trying to eavesdrop on the conversation taking place in the tearoom. Yuffie let out a deep sigh, clearly frustrated. "I wonder what they're talking about." Darting her eyes around the okiya, the thin girl darted into the kitchen, emerging with a bucket and a washcloth. She then proceeded to wash the floor boards near the tearoom, obviously as a ploy to listen in on the conversation. Her movements started to slow the longer she listened, at one point completely stopping, her eyes growing bigger as Aeris watched.

Suddenly, the tearoom door opened, sending a surprised Yuffie sprawling down the steps. Everyone in the okiya seemed to jump at the sound, one maid even let out a little yelp, quickly trying to cover it with her hand. Mrs. Nakamura stood with one hand still on the frame of the sliding door, her eagle-eyes scanning for something: Aeris shuddered when they landed on her.

"Aeris! I want to see you in here." Mrs. Nakamura's voice seemed to be a mixture of anger and worry.

"Yes, ma'am." She quickly scuttled to the other side of the okiya, wondering what she had done wrong this time.

Mrs. Nakamura shut the door behind her, taking her place at the end of the table, across from Midori-sama. Aeris stood a little off to the side of the table, waiting with her head bowed.

"Aeris…this is Midori-san, a very well-respected and famous geisha." The older woman motioned to the beautiful lady across from her.

"I am very honored to meet you, Midori-sama." Aeris kneeled on the floor, bowing deeply to the geisha, her forehead almost touching the ground.

"And I you, Aeris-san; I've been dying to meet you." Midori smiled.

Aeris looked as shocked as Mrs. Nakamura did, leaning forward. "You…you have?" She had never met this geisha before, so how could Midori know her?

The ebony-haired geisha laughed. "Ah, we haven't met in person, but I've been hearing a lot of things about you."

This time Mrs. Nakamura leaned forward. "You have? Our Aeris?"

Midori's brown eyes sparkled with surprise. "Why, of course. One cannot forget such startling green eyes."

The older woman patted her chin, glancing over at Aeris. "Well, I suppose she does have unusual eyes."

"Oh, yes. I've seen her walking to and from class and she has made such a strong impression on me! At times I wonder if she wouldn't be perfect for me to take her on as my younger sister…"

Mrs. Nakamura seemed completely stunned, the cup of tea she was about to drink out of stopping halfway to her mouth. "Aeris be your younger sister? Why, Midori-san, a geisha as popular as yourself can take on any girl in Wutai as your apprentice!"

"Yes I know, I'm often asked, but I haven't found one that has struck me as hard as Aeris has." She turned to the girl and smiled. "She has made quite an impact."

Aeris was completely befuddled by everything that had been transpiring in the room. What was a younger sister and why did Midori-sama want to take her as one? What kind of impression had she made on this geisha she had never set eyes on? What was going on?

Mrs. Nakamura's demeanor changed. "I see. Well, if our little Aeris interests you so much, we should discuss this in-depth. But I must warn you, she is a bit of a troublemaker and is already in a substantial amount of debt."

"How much?"

Mrs. Nakamura hesitated. "Ten thousand gil."

The other woman nodded, sending the ornaments in her hair swinging. "That is very considerable, still I would like to discuss the matter and see if we can find a solution."

"Very well." Mrs. Nakamura's voice dripped with pleasure. "I'll go get my account book." Turning to Aeris, she nodded her head towards the door. "You may leave us now."

Relieved, Aeris bowed to mother and then again to Midori, closing the door behind her with a silent sigh. She was greeted by a huddle of maids, all of them crowding around the door, obviously hearing everything that had been said.

Yuffie bounded up to her, excitement shining in her eyes. "Midori-sama wants you to be her younger sister!"

"What's a younger sister?" Aeris was still confused as to what was going on.

"It means Midori-sama wants to take you on as her apprentice, silly! And with such a great older sister like Midori-sama, you're sure to pay back most of your debt to the okiya!"

"Does everyone get an older sister?" Aeris asked.

"Most apprentice geishas try to, but it's hard, especially if you want someone like Midori-sama. Her fees are double what normal geishas charge."

"Fees?" Aeris gulped at the word. Fees could only mean more debt for her. "Do you have an older sister, Yuffie?"

The other girl looked sheepishly down at her feet. "Scarlett-sama is going to take me as her younger sister once I'm finished with my lessons this coming spring."

Somehow this thought worried Aeris greatly.

* * *

A/N: Sephiroth and Vincent will be making an appearance shortly so don't fret! Anyways, let me know how this it faring so far...any reviews and critiques are greatly appreciated! 


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